Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The Taoiseach is right in saying that this is not the first time this matter has been raised. Deputy Broughan raised it a couple of weeks ago. However, I read his contribution when he raised it on 14 February 2001 and the answers given then are exactly the same. The Taoiseach says that he is aware of the unanswered questions out there, but we have not put anything in place to seek to address those questions. If this unimaginable horror had befallen another community in a better off part of this city — I hope it never will — there is a feeling that we would have moved faster. It has not escaped people in the area that the first person to get compensation was the owner of the premises. He was successful in suing what is now Dublin City Council for malicious damage. It would be helpful if the Taoiseach gave an unequivocal answer that he will meet the relatives; not his programme manager, nor his Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. It is something he ought to have done before now.

I heard in disbelief this morning — I do not know if it is true — that this opening is going ahead tonight. I find it unbelievably insensitive to put it mildly. I cannot believe that it is true. Will the Taoiseach respond to the concerns expressed by the fire officers recently on the chances of such a tragedy happening again? They raised concerns about the efficiency, efficacy and consistency of the provisions there at the moment. The major recommendation of the Keane inquiry into the Stardust tragedy was that a national fire authority ought to be established. That recommendation was made 25 years ago but it has not been done. The Government brought in consultants in response to Deputy Broughan's pursuit of this matter a few years ago. The consultants reported that there ought to be a national fire authority and the Minister of the day hinted that it would be implemented. It was not implemented. The least we owe the grieving relatives of the Stardust tragedy is to take every reasonable step open to us to ensure no such horror is ever visited on a section of our people again.

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